The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently reported that 2015 model year vehicles are expected to average 24.7 miles per gallon (MPG), up from 24.3 MPG in 2014. The increase comes at the same time that consumers are buying larger, heavier vehicles like pickup trucks and SUVs.
The EPA report shows that the auto industry is trying to get ahead of stiffening fuel-economy requirements aimed at reducing greenhouse gases.
The Union of Concerned Scientists, an environmental group, went beyond the environmental benefits of reduced carbon emissions by reporting that the increase in average MPG has helped consumers save upwards of $27 billion at the gas pump.